@article{ref1,
title="Gate-violation behavior at highway-rail grade crossings and the consequences: using geo-spatial modeling integrated with path analysis",
journal="Accident analysis and prevention",
year="2017",
author="Liu, Jun and Khattak, Asad J.",
volume="109",
number="",
pages="99-112",
abstract="Drivers undertaking risky behaviors at highway-rail grade crossings are often severely injured in collisions with trains. Among these behaviors, gate-violation (referring to driving around or through the gates that were activated and lowered by an approaching train) seems to be one of the most dangerous actions a driver might take at a gated crossing; it may compromise the intended safety improvement made by adding gates at crossings. This study develops a nuanced conceptual framework that uses path analysis to explore the contributing factors to gate-violation behaviors and the correlation between gate-violation behaviors and the crash consequence - the driver injury severity. Further, using geo-spatial modeling techniques, this study explores whether the correlates of gate-violation behaviors and their associations with injury severity are stationary across diverse geographic contexts of the United States. Geo-spatial modeling shows that the correlates of gate-violation and its associations with injury severity vary substantially across the United States. Spatial variations in correlates of gate-violation and injury severity are mapped by estimating geographically weighted regressions; the maps can serve as an instrument for screening safety improvements and help identify regions that need safety improvements. For example, the results show that two-quadrant gates are more likely to have gate-violation crashes than four-quadrant gates in Iowa, Illinois, Wisconsin and Minnesota. These states may need to receive more attentions on the enforcement of inhibiting gate-violation at crossings with two-quadrant gates or have the priority over other states to upgrade these crossings to four-quadrant gates if financially feasible.<br><br>Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Ltd.<p /> <p>Language: en</p>",
language="en",
issn="0001-4575",
doi="10.1016/j.aap.2017.10.010",
url="http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.aap.2017.10.010"
}